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Worker Rights

The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)—formerly known as the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)—Office of Labor Policy & Standards is NYC’s central resource for workers. We are a dedicated voice in City government for workers in NYC. We protect and promote labor standards and policies that create fair workplaces to ensure all workers can realize their rights, regardless of immigration status. Learn about our public education campaign, We Fight for Every Worker in NYC.

New Amendments to NYC’s Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law

DCWP is in the process of updating and translating materials to reflect the below new amendments to NYC’s Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law.

  • Employers must provide domestic workers with 40 hours of paid safe and sick leave.
  • Employers must allow employees to use safe and sick leave as it is accrued, with no waiting period for new hires.
  • Employers can require documentation when employees use more than three workdays in a row of safe and sick leave; and employers must reimburse employees for any fees paid for required documentation.
  • Employers must inform employees of their accrued, used, and total leave balances on a document issued each pay period (e.g., paystub) or through an employee-accessible electronic system.
  • Employers with 100 or more employees in New York State must provide up to 56 hours of paid leave.
  • Employers with four or fewer employees in New York State and a net income of $1 million or more must provide PAID leave.

Reminder: Employers with 5 to 99 employees in New York State must provide up to 40 hours of paid leave each calendar year. Employers with four or fewer employees in New York State and a net income of less than $1 million must allow employees to take up to 40 hours of unpaid leave. Please continue to monitor nyc.gov/workers.

*Important Updates Due to COVID-19*

NEW! COVID-19 and Paid Sick Leave. Workers who have COVID-19 or were in contact with someone with COVID-19 can get sick leave (time off) regardless of immigration status. State and local laws let workers take time off to care for themselves or a family member. Download a summary of the state, local, and federal paid sick leave laws in English | Español (Spanish) | shqip (Albanian) | العربية (Arabic) | বাংলা (Bengali) | 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified) | 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional) | Français (French) | Kreyòl Ayisyen (Haitian Creole) | हिन्दी (Hindi) | 한국어 (Korean) | Język Polski (Polish) | Русский (Russian) | ردو (Urdu)

NEW! Returning to Work During COVID-19: Important Information for Domestic Workers and Their Employers. Created by the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), this publication is intended to provide important health and safety information for domestic workers and their employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Download the publication in: English | Español (Spanish) | العربية (Arabic) | বাংলা (Bengali) | 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified) | 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional) | Français (French) | Kreyòl Ayisyen (Haitian Creole) | 한국어 (Korean) | नेपाली (Nepali) | Język Polski (Polish) | Русский (Russian) | Tagalog (Tagalog) | ردو (Urdu)

Worker Protection Hotline: Call 311 or 1-212-436-0381 with questions about reopening, health and safety guidelines for the workplace, or to report an employer that is not following reopening requirements.

UPDATED! Important Information for Employers and Employees: Update about Workplace Laws as NYC Seeks to Stop the Spread of the New Coronavirus (COVID-19). Created by the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), this publication includes a summary of City labor laws for employers and employees as you deal with the impact of COVID-19 on your workplace. Download the publication in:
English (PDF, December 10, 2020)
Other Languages (PDF, March 21, 2020): Español (Spanish) | العربية (Arabic) | বাংলা (Bengali) | 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified) | 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional) | Français (French) | Kreyòl Ayisyen (Haitian Creole) | 한국어 (Korean) | Język Polski (Polish) | Русский (Russian) | ردو (Urdu)
Note: Update to PDFs of additional languages coming soon.

Get DCWP Alerts and Information During COVID-19 Crisis, including What Workers Need to Know during phases of Reopening NYC, price gouging complaints, resources to manage money, and more.

Know Your Worker Rights

Get an overview of the worker protections available to you.

Watch the Know Your Rights Virtual Town Hall for Workers.


Workplace Protections for Specific Workers

Learn about workplace protections for specific workers including:


Workplace Laws

Learn about workplace laws designed to improve working conditions:


Paid Personal Time. Mayor de Blasio proposed that New York City become the first city in the nation to mandate Paid Personal Time for workers. More than 500,000 full- and part-time employees in New York City currently have no paid time off. The Mayor will pursue local legislation that would require private employers with five or more employees to offer 10 annual days of Paid Personal Time, allowing employees to take paid time off for any purpose, including vacation, religious observances, bereavement and time with family. Read 01/09/19 press release.

Mayor de Blasio, First Lady McCray, Public Advocate Williams and Activist Gloria Steinem Rally for New Paid Personal Time Legislation Benefitting Nearly 1 Million New Yorkers. Read 05/28/19 press release.

First Lady, Public Advocate Rally With Workers to Call for Passage of Paid Personal Time. Read 09/09/19 press release.

Workplace Complaints

DCA enforces workplace laws and may initiate investigations against a business in response to worker complaints. File a workplace complaint if you believe a business is not in compliance with any of the workplace laws mentioned above.